Electrode tab alignment mechanism and x-ray inspection apparatus comprising same for inspecting cylindrical secondary battery

Abstract

An X-ray inspection apparatus for a cylindrical secondary battery according to the present invention comprises: an inspection chamber; a transfer unit for transferring a cylindrical secondary battery into the inspection chamber; an inspection body moving while holding the secondary battery; an X-ray source; an X-ray detector; a discharge unit for discharging the inspected secondary battery outside the inspection chamber;and an alignment mechanism arranged along a moving path of the inspection body so as to align the cylindrical secondary battery. Further, in the X-ray inspection apparatus for a cylindrical secondary battery according to the present invention, the alignment mechanism comprises: one or more sensing unit for sensing the position of a specific portion of the cylindrical secondary battery; and one or more contact unit operable between a standby position in which the contact unit do not come into contact with the secondary battery and a contact position in which the contact unit can come into contact with the secondary battery.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An X-ray inspection apparatus for a cylindrical secondary battery, comprising:
 an inspection chamber;   a transfer unit for transferring the cylindrical secondary battery into the inspection chamber;   an inspection body for moving the secondary battery held thereon;   an X-ray source;   an X-ray detector; and   a discharge unit for discharging inspected secondary battery to outside of the inspection chamber;   wherein the X-ray inspection apparatus further comprising an alignment mechanism arranged along a moving path of the inspection body to align the cylindrical secondary battery.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inspection body is a rotational inspection body that rotates circularly. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical secondary battery has an electrode tab protruding at its upper end, and the alignment mechanism is configured to align the electrode tab. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inspection body has a plurality of supporting grooves provided around the inspection body at a regular interval, and the supporting groove holds the secondary battery with an adhesive force. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the alignment mechanism includes at least one sensing unit for detecting a position of a specific portion of the cylindrical secondary battery, and at least one contact unit operable between a standby position incapable of contacting with the secondary battery and a contact position capable of contacting with the secondary battery. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the contact unit is configured to be operated based on a detection result of the sensing unit, and when the contact unit is operated to the contact position, the secondary battery can be turned by a contact frictional force generated between the secondary battery and the contact unit while the secondary battery continues to move with the transfer unit. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the contact unit includes a contact pad, and the contact pad has a contact surface contacting with the cylindrical secondary battery. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein a turning angle of the cylindrical secondary battery is determined by a length of the contact surface. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the transfer unit is configured to intermittently pitch-rotate in an order of rotation-stop-rotation, and the sensing unit is configured to detect the secondary battery when the transfer unit is in a stop operation during the pitch-rotation. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the sensing unit and the contact unit are alternately arranged along the moving path of the inspection body. 
     
     
         11 . An alignment mechanism for aligning a cylindrical object being moved by a conveying unit moving with the object placed thereon, comprising:
 a sensing unit for detecting a position of a specific portion on the object; and   a contact unit operable between a standby position incapable of contacting with the object and a contact position capable of contacting with the object;   wherein the sensing unit and the contact unit are arranged along a moving path of the conveying unit, and   wherein the contact unit is configured to be operated based on a detection result of the sensing unit, and when the contact unit is operated to the contact position, the object can be turned by a contact frictional force generated between the object and the contact unit while the object continues to move with the conveying unit.   
     
     
         12 . The alignment mechanism of  claim 11 , wherein the contact unit includes a contact pad, and the contact pad has a contact surface contacting with the cylindrical object. 
     
     
         13 . The alignment mechanism of  claim 12 , wherein a turning angle of the cylindrical object is determined by a length of the contact surface. 
     
     
         14 . The alignment mechanism of  claim 13 , wherein the conveying unit is configured to intermittently pitch-move in an order of movement-stop-movement. 
     
     
         15 . A method for aligning a cylindrical object being moved by a conveying unit moving with the object placed thereon, using an alignment mechanism including a sensing unit for detecting a position of a specific portion on the object and a contact unit operable between a standby position incapable of contacting with the object and a contact position capable of contacting with the object, comprising:
 conveying a cylindrical object using the conveying unit;   detecting a position of a specific portion on the cylindrical object using the sensing unit;   determining whether to operate the contact unit based on an information of a location of the specific portion sensed by the sensing unit;   actuating the contact unit to the contact position when the contact unit is determined to be operated; and   turning the cylindrical object by a contact frictional force generated between the object and the contact unit by continuously moving the conveying unit after the object thereon contacts with the actuated contact unit.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the cylindrical object is a secondary battery, and the specific portion is an electrode tab protruding at an upper end of the secondary battery. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the contact unit includes a contact pad, and the contact pad has a contact surface contacting with the cylindrical object. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a turning angle of the cylindrical object is determined by a length of the contact surface. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the conveying unit is configured to intermittently pitch-rotate in an order of rotation-stop-rotation, and the sensing unit is configured to detect the secondary battery when the conveying unit is in a stop operation during the pitch-rotation.